Workholding device



Feb. 4, 1930. A. J. PE RRY WORKHOLDING E vIcE.

Filed May 10. 19254 Patented Feb. 1 930 3 ANTONE J, PERRY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNon TO UNITED SHOE PATENT OFFICE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF rA'rERsoN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW mass - Application filediMay 1a,

This invention relates towork-holding deit vices and is illustrated as embodied in a'device designed for temporarily retaining a stack of similar flexible pieces of Work while they are being operated upon by a markingmachine. It is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited to use chine.

' In the manufacture of shoes, collars, shirts plurality of pieces "ofmate'rial, and this stack of identicalpieces is commonly moved as a unit as it 1s transferred to a marking machine for the application of suitable identifying marks to each of the component, pieces of the stack. In the use of such a machine, it is common for'the operator to place the whole stack on a self-adjusting supporting table of a marking machine and then to' cause the machine to mark the top piece of the stackafter which this top piece is'folded back to allow the machine. to markthe nextpiece of the stack which is foldedback andthe operation continued. Preferably, the symmetrical arrangement of the stack is. not disturbed so that "it may be'again transferred as a compact unit.

5 With this inview, the. object of the present invention is to provide a simple and conven ient work-holding device by means of which a'stack ofpieces of work maybe mechanically held in position upon the table of the machine 1' i y removed. 1

' In order-thatythework may beinserted under or removedf-frombeneath the holding device without disturbing, the symmetrical arrangement of the, stack, the illustrated embodi'ment of the invention provides novel meansvpositively to determine the work-rec ceiving position of a Work-holding finger, and

resilient means constructed and arranged impositively to maintain it in this position. Preferably, the resilient means is constructed i and arranged to serve also forpressing the fingeragainst thework. '1 1 4 H To pI0Vld8 f01 the unusual Tease in which in connection with such a ma WOBKHOLIDING DEVICE 1924. Serial N5. 712,463.

the Work-holding or holddown finger is not desired, the invention also contemplates the provision of a novel arrangement for supporting the work-holding finger upon the Work table of the machine constructed and ar- 1 aside around the axis of the stud as desired.

Movement of the finger is limited positively in the upward direction by a shoulder upon the support and in the downward direction by the table. Suitable springs are provided, extending between the support and the finger, which are constructed and arranged to hold thefinger either in its upright position for the insertion of a stack of work or, as the center line of the springs passes the pivot of the finger, in its lowered position to clamp the Work against the table.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the device attached to the table of a marking machine; and c Fig.2 is a side elevation partly in section of the same device. I I

The illustrative marking machine comprises a work-supporting table 10 and a movable marking head 12 provided with rotatable type Wheels 14 and a handle 16 by means of which these type wheels may be rotated to bring the desired figures or letters into operative position. v I

The work-holding device shown in the drawings comprises a headed stud 20 having a screw driver slot 22 in its head and a shoulder 24 bearing against the upper surface of the table. A reduced lower end 26 of the stud 20 is threaded and the device is clamped in position by means of a nut 28 between which and the lower side of the table there is preferably interposed a washer 30. A support 32 is clamped to the table by means of the.

stud 20 and preferably is held by vproperly designing the length of the stud above the 34 there is pivotally attached a holddown finger 36 by means of a pin 38 carried by the extension 34 and arrangedto extend through the bifurcations formed in the rear end of the finger 36. The pin 38 is at right angles to the pivot stud 20. The forward end of the finger 36 is provided with a work-contacting extension 40 and upward movement of the finger islimited by the engagement of its upper surface at a point 42 with a shoulder 44 formed on the vertical extension 34 of the support. The holddown finger 36 is provided adjacent to its pivot 38 with forwardly extending, oppositely disposed, similar ears 46 each of which is provided with a pin 48. The support 32 is provided with a rearward extension 50 in which are laterally extending pins 52. Tension springs 54 and 56 have their opposite ends connected tothe pins 48 and 52. It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 2 that the center line of the springs 54 and 56 passes the center of the pivot 38 as the finger 36 is raised or lowered so that said springs are effective either to hold the finger 36 against the work or to hold said finger in an upright position, as indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 2, to allow the insertion of a stack of pieces of work between said fin er and the table of the machine.

n the use of the device, a stack 60 of similar pieces of work is placedupon the table of the machine while the finger 36 is occupying an elevated inoperative position and the finger is then lowered resiliently to engage said stack and hold it in position upon the table. Prior to this engagement of the stack by the holddown finger, the stack will have been properly positionedsoj that marks 62 may be appliedby the machine in the desired position upon the work. The machine may then be set in motion to apply a mark to the uppermost piece after which the marked 'portion of said piece will be moved forward and held out of the way by a finger 64 of one hand of the operator and the machine again operated to apply a mark to a succeeding piece. As this piece is lifted out of the operating path of the machine by the other hand 66 of the operator, the finger 64 is lifted to receive the folded-over edge of the second piece and the operation repeated until the whole stack has been marked. It will be un derstood that marking machines of this type are usually provided with a table which automatically adjusts itself to the changing thickness of the stack. The holddown finger 36 may then be moved about one pivot pin to raise it to its upright position, as determined by the shoulder 44'and indicated in Fig. 2, and it will be resiliently heldin this position to allow the removal of. the stack of work by V the operator and the insertion of the new stackat will. As the. finger is then turned into engagement with the new stacko'f work, the springs 54 and 56 pass'the center of the vpivot 38 and bring said finger into engagement with the stack of work with suflicient force to retain it in position during the operation of the machine.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is Y s c 1. A work-holding finger pivotally mounted on the table of a machine for movement from work-clamping position adjacent to the table to opened work-receiving position remote from the table, means positively todeterminethe latter position,'and a spring'act- 3. A work-holding device for applicationto the work-supporting table of a machine comprising a stud to be passed through said table, a work-holding finger operatively con- HBCtBClEtO said stud, said finger being movable toward and away from the table, and resilient means urging saidfinger toward the table, said finger being also movable around the center line of said'stud .to turn it aside to an inoperative position. A A V Y I 4. A work-holding device" for application to the work-supporting table of a machine comprlsing a supporting member, a workholding finger pivotally attached to said supporting member,- resilient means constructed and arranged to hold said fingereither in en-- gagement with the work or in upright 'posi-'- tion to allow the convenient insertion 'ofthe work beneath said finger,=and meansv for attaching said supporting member to the table of the machine constructed and arranged to allow the supporting member and the finger to be turned bodily aside to an inoperative position. v

5. A work-holding devicefor application to the work-supporting table ofa machine com-' prising a supporting member, a work-holding finger pivotally attached to said supportmg member for movement from a sub- 7 'stantially horizontal work-engaging position adjacent to the table to an upright position remote from the table, and resilient means constructed and arranged to hold said finger either in engagement with the work or in upright position to allow the convenient insertion of the work beneath said finger.

6. A work-holding device for application to the work-supporting'table of a machine comprising a supporting member, a workholding finger pivotally attached to said supporting member, said supporting mmber being constructed and arranged to limit the movement and determine the position of said finger when the same has been turned to an upright position away from the work-sup- 201 porting member.

porting table, and resilient means constructed and arranged toretain said work-holding finger in engagement with the work or in-its 7 position for the positioning of the work on the table of the machine, and means for holding said finger in either its operative workengaging position or its upright inoperative position in engagement with said shoulder.

. P 8. A work-holding device for application to thework-supporting table of a machine comprising a supporting member, means for pivotally attaching said member to the table of the machine, a laterally extending pin on said supporting member, said supporting member being provided with a forward extension to which there is pivotally attached a work-holding finger, means for limiting the upward movement of the work-holding finger to an upright position, said finger being provided with a laterally extending pin, and a tension'spring extending from said pin on the finger to the pin on the supporting member constructed and arranged so that its force is exerted to hold the finger in engagement with the work and, when the finger is moved to upright position in engagement with said shoulder, to pass the center line of the pivot between the finger and the support and to hold the finger in uprightposition in engagement with the shoulder.

9. A work-holding device for clamping a stack of pieces on the table of a marking machine comprising a pivotally mounted arm theouter end of which is arranged to move toward the table to clamp the stack of pieces of work,"said pivoted arm being arranged to be turned-into an upright inoperative position out of the way of the operator when a. stack of pieces is to be removed and replaced, means for determining said upright position, and resilient means for holding said arm either in its upright position or its depressed work-clamping position.

10. A work-holding device for clamping a stack of pieces of material upon the table of a marking machine comprising a supporting member adapted to be secured to said table, an arm pivotally mounted upon said supporting member and adapted to be moved either to an inoperative upright position to allow the removal and replacement of the stack of pieces or to a depressed position so that the arm bears against and holds the pieces, and resilient means for holding said arm in either of said positions.

11. A work-holding device for holding a stack of pieces of work upon the table of a marking machine comprising a supporting member adapted to be secured to said table, an arm pivotally mounted upon said supporting-member, said supporting member being provided with an abutment adapted to determine an upright position of said arm when the latter is moved away from the table to allow the removal and replacement of the work, and a spring for holding said arm in depressed position in engagement with the stack of pieces upon the table, said spring being so attached to the supporting member and the arm that it passes the pivot of the arm and serves to hold the arm against the abutment when the arm is turned to its upright position.

12. A work-holdingdevice comprising a support provided with a plurality of positively located pivot pins extending at right angles to each other, a work clamping finger pivotally mounted on one ofsaid pins and having a portion engaging the work, and means for securing the support upon a machine for movement about the other pin.

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ANTONE J. PERRY. 

